Alberta’s largest outdoor theatre festival urging Edmontonians to save their future amid economic pressures

After 35 years of producing Shakespearean performances in Edmonton, the future of Alberta’s largest outdoor theatre festival is at risk.

“We need Edmontians to kinda step up and help us out,” pleaded David Horak, the artistic director of Freewill Shakespeare Festival.

The artistic director of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival told CityNews that factors like rising costs of operations, unstable funding, and post-COVID years have put the future of the festival in jeopardy.

“Being in Hawrelak Park, being under that big great tent, being able to be there rain or shine has been great, and if we wanna continue we need that help,” said Horak.

The long-running festival is now calling on Edmontonians to save Freewill’s future. They need to raise $150,000 by the end of their upcoming production playing at Edmonton’s Louise McKinney Park between June 27 and July 20.

“It’s pretty urgent. We need to make up about $150,000. That’s what we put the limit up. That will help us produce next year and onward. We’re really counting on Edmontonians. I have received so many emails people going we had no idea you’re in so much trouble.”

The festival has been out of its original home at the 1,000-seat amphitheatre at Hawrelak Park for three years due to renovations and other economic pressures.

“I think a lot of people didn’t know we’re out of the park. The last couple of years our numbers have been dwindling,” Horak explained.

Last year, the Shakespeare festival in Calgary was cancelled due to financial constraints. Horak says the outdoor festival in Edmonton will not be cancelled, but it will not be the same if they don’t reach their fundraising goal.

“Freewill will be very very different in the coming years. We won’t be back to go back to Hawrelak Park will have to keep reducing. We’re gonna have to change our model. We might end up not doing two shows. Our cast will get smaller.”